The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Wednesday officially vacated the certificate issued on July 15, 2005 that approved construction of the proposed terminal and the related Mill River Pipeline that would serve as a sendout pipeline from the facility. A “notice of effectiveness of withdrawal and termination of proceeding” was also filed Wednesday in relation to Hess LNG’s filing to amend the 2005 approval to instead employ an off-shore berthing station.
“On June 20, 2011, Weaver’s Cove filed a notice of withdrawal of the amendment application. No motion in opposition to the notice was filed with the Commission within 15 days of the filing, and the Commission did not disallow the withdrawal within that period. Therefore... the withdrawal became effective July 6, 2011, 15 days from the date of filing of the notice, and the proceeding was terminated,” the notice filed by FERC Secretary Kimberly D. Bose states.
Joseph Carvalho, president of the Coalition for Responsible Siting of LNG Facilities, called FERC’s actions the final step in a lengthy fight.
“This is certainly a vindication of what people have been saying all along, that this is not a good project for the city or for anyone along (Narragansett Bay) really,” Carvalho said.
The final steps come after Hess LNG announced on June 20 that it was withdrawing its application to construct an LNG terminal on the banks of the Taunton River and the related off-shore berthing station that was proposed for Mount Hope Bay in the waters of Somerset.
The company cited “unfavorable economics for liquefied natural gas in the New England region” as the reason to abandon the project.
With the Fall River project over, Hess LNG President Gordon Shearer said the company would look to sell the nearly 70 acre proposed location. The land, which is broken up into three parcels, is assessed by the city at approximately $15 million.
Shearer said the company will shift its focus to projects in Ireland, Africa and Asia.
With Hess looking to other markets, Carvalho said he was looking at the future of the site.
“I guess one door closes, and another one opens,” Carvalho said. “Now the question is who gets the land, and what’s going to go there? I don’t want to spend another nine years fighting another ill-conceived project.”
“On June 20, 2011, Weaver’s Cove filed a notice of withdrawal of the amendment application. No motion in opposition to the notice was filed with the Commission within 15 days of the filing, and the Commission did not disallow the withdrawal within that period. Therefore... the withdrawal became effective July 6, 2011, 15 days from the date of filing of the notice, and the proceeding was terminated,” the notice filed by FERC Secretary Kimberly D. Bose states.
Joseph Carvalho, president of the Coalition for Responsible Siting of LNG Facilities, called FERC’s actions the final step in a lengthy fight.
“This is certainly a vindication of what people have been saying all along, that this is not a good project for the city or for anyone along (Narragansett Bay) really,” Carvalho said.
The final steps come after Hess LNG announced on June 20 that it was withdrawing its application to construct an LNG terminal on the banks of the Taunton River and the related off-shore berthing station that was proposed for Mount Hope Bay in the waters of Somerset.
The company cited “unfavorable economics for liquefied natural gas in the New England region” as the reason to abandon the project.
With the Fall River project over, Hess LNG President Gordon Shearer said the company would look to sell the nearly 70 acre proposed location. The land, which is broken up into three parcels, is assessed by the city at approximately $15 million.
Shearer said the company will shift its focus to projects in Ireland, Africa and Asia.
With Hess looking to other markets, Carvalho said he was looking at the future of the site.
“I guess one door closes, and another one opens,” Carvalho said. “Now the question is who gets the land, and what’s going to go there? I don’t want to spend another nine years fighting another ill-conceived project.”